Fluidic type washer nozzles are well known for high efficiency (big coverage, high speed with low flow rate) spray performance. However, the major limitation of fluidic nozzle is that the nozzle assembly's package size needs to be large enough (for example, the linear distance from the fluid inlet or feed to the exit orifice or front to back thickness needs to be at least 6 mm for most of fluidic circuits).
For some applications, package size is a big concern due to very limited available space. Jet spray nozzles were commonly used in such limited space applications. Because of their excessively narrow spray pattern, jet spray nozzles typically must be supplied with very high cleaning fluid flow rates or must be operated for longer spray durations to effectively clean a glass or external lens surface. Jet spray nozzles have smaller package size than fluidic nozzles, but do not have effective spray patterns for many automotive cleaning applications such as cleaning a camera lens, where the surface must be cleaned very well, and without requiring a mechanical wiper or the like.
Some shear nozzles can be made to generate useful sprays for washing and can be made adjustable with ball-shaped inserts which are configured to move within a socket in a nozzle housing, but size constraints have remained a problem. Automotive designers want very compact nozzle assemblies for automotive washer nozzles, but also want an even spray distribution. Automotive OEMs also want a nozzle which is very economical and versatile. For example, exterior trim assemblies often combine many functions, such as the Center High Mounted Stop Light (“CHIMSL”) light assemblies now required by US DOT regulations. Center High Mounted Stop Light (“CHIMSL”) assemblies can include other features such as external cameras, but cleaning the lenses on those cameras becomes problematic, if the automotive stylist's design for exterior trim is to be preserved.
There are many examples of automotive exterior trim assemblies with awkwardly incorporated spray nozzles which may preserve the aesthetic appearance of the automotive trim but do not generate a spray which will adequately cleans a window or other surface. An early example is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 6,074,078 which has a vehicle 14 with an exterior panel or surface 12 including Center High Mounted Stop Light (“CHIMSL”) trim assembly 10 having a fluid supply line 18, and a lens 24 with a spray tip 70 configured to spray jets of washing fluid through apertures 72 from beneath nozzle hood 44 (as reproduced in Prior Art FIGS. 1A-1D). This nozzle configuration will reliably pour jets of washing fluid downwardly, generally onto the rear window or backlight glass of the vehicle, but little more can be said for the spray's ability to clean any particular surface. Nozzle configurations like that shown in FIGS. 1A-1D work well enough to clean a rear window if the wiper blade is also used, but the spray from this nozzle, alone, does little to clean the window.
Cleaning something as small and specialized as a vehicle's external view camera lens surface is much more demanding, from a technical perspective (as set forth in applicant's commonly owned patent application publications including WO/2012/138455), but automotive OEM designers seek ever smaller and more visually inconspicuous solutions for external lens cleaning sprays. Nozzles for generating these sprays would be most desirable if they were readily configured for incorporation into an aesthetically pleasing and easily installed exterior trim assembly incorporating a plurality of diverse components such as a Center High Mounted Stop Light (“CHIMSL”), one or more external view cameras, and one or more nozzle assemblies as would be required to clean the external surfaces of those cameras (or adjacent windows).
There is a need, therefore, for a practical, economical very compact yet effective automotive washer nozzle configuration and cleaning method which can be implemented in smaller and more visually inconspicuous package for incorporation into an aesthetically pleasing and easily installed exterior trim assembly incorporating a plurality of possibly diverse components such as a Center High Mounted Stop Light (“CHIMSL”), one or more external view cameras, and the nozzle assemblies required to clean the external surfaces of the cameras or adjacent windows.